Our Story
The Starfish Institute partners with visionary organizations tackling complex social challenges. We are focused on two of the most critical and urgent issues of our time: education and climate change. These thorny issues are too interconnected to be solved by any one organization alone. Collaboration can also be hard, messy work. We exist to bring together diverse players, remove the barriers to collaboration, and fuel coordinated action for the benefit of people and planet.
The Starfish Institute emerged from Beyond100K (formerly 100Kin10), a national network of diverse organizations collaboratively working to end the STEM teacher shortage by 2043, especially for those most excluded from STEM opportunities. Beyond100K prepared over 100,000 STEM teachers in its first decade by developing three mutually reinforcing strategies: (1) enlisting leading organizations to make public, audacious commitments to the network's shared goal, (2) identifying where to focus energy and resources for the greatest impact, and (3) developing tools for knowledge exchange and collaborative problem-solving.
The Starfish Institute was created as a nonprofit advisory to apply Beyond100K’s proven approach to other persistent social challenges. While we are primarily focused on education and climate change, we also consider other projects aligned with our approach on a case-by-case basis.
Our Name
In an ecosystem, everything is connected -- but not equally connected. There are some species that play a disproportionately large role within the structure and function of an ecosystem. Ecologists call these “keystone species,” and they are responsible for keeping the ecosystem thriving. The first keystone species discovered was the starfish.
We are devoted to finding the starfish in our human ecosystems. As the highest-leverage places, they offer the greatest potential for impact and a path to creating enduring social change.
Core Values
We believe we can solve problems that appear - and have historically been - intractable when we work in community, embrace experimentation grounded in learning, and act with open hearts and audacity.
Community
We know that the problems worth solving can’t be solved by any one organization or individual alone. We believe our work is stronger because of the diverse strengths, talents, and experiences of our team and our broader network. We listen to all perspectives because we know that it takes everyone’s viewpoint to see the whole picture. We build each other up, empower each other, and give each other what we need to grow and thrive.
Audacious
We are hopeful about the possibility of change, even when the challenges confronting us seem overwhelming. We believe big goals inspire and mobilize likely and unlikely allies to link arms. We ask each other regularly, “What would we do if we were really going to do it?” And then we bring our creativity, dedication, and passion to delivering on those audacious goals.
Experimentation Grounded in Learning
We ground our work in research and build on others’ insights. We explore, test new ideas, and push the envelope to improve and bring fresh thinking to bear on old problems. We celebrate failures and share our vulnerabilities with courage.
Open-Hearted
We build authentic relationships, because trust and empathy are the lifeblood of any shared endeavor. We speak and listen honestly and with generosity, assuming good intentions. We bring our whole selves to work. We celebrate and bring beauty, fun, and joy into our work.